Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Iran
Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other
Date of Detainment: July/1/2025
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Mehran Shamloui
Extra Bio Info:
Mehran Shamloui is imprisoned for his religious conversion and activity.
In 2024, Iranian authorities arrested Shamloui for participating in a house church.
In March 2025, authorities sentenced him to 10 years' imprisonment for “membership of opposition groups” and “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law through foreign relations” (Art. 499 and 500), as well as 11 years' deprivation of social rights.
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Egypt
Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other
Date of Detainment: July/1/2025
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Augustin Samaan
Extra Bio Info:
Dr. Augustin Samaan is imprisoned for his religious activity.
In October 2025, Egyptian authorities arrested Samaan, a Christian apologist, and charged him with "contempt of Islam" for his online content critical of Islam.
In January 2026, judicial authorities sentenced Samaan to five years’ imprisonment with hard labor, enforced immediately, for "contempt of religion" and "misuse of social media."
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant
Date of Detainment: October/18/2024
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Nikolay Romanyuk
Extra Bio Info:
Nikolay Romanyuk is imprisoned for his religious expression.
In October 2024, Russian authorities arrested Romanyuk for preaching an anti-war sermon in 2022.
In September 2025, authorities sentenced him to 4 years' imprisonment in a labor camp for “public calls to implement activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation" (Art. 280.4 RCC).